Sunday, 30 November 2014

Among some stamps and FDCs I also bought a set of two maxicards. The maxicards celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Swiss Air Force.

Although the Swiss authorities first did not wanted an air force the pilot Theodor Real was instructed to arrange an air force after World War I broke out. He first confiscated three air planes shown at an exhibition in Bern and in 1915 the Federal Council ordered six air planes at the Swiss Federal Constructions Works in Thun. During World War I the Air Force was not used very often.

Switzerland stayed neutral during World War I but was bordered from 1915 only by belligerent nations. Although Switzerland was not invaded it had big internal problems caused by the occupation of its borders.

I also bought a single mint stamp about the 125th anniversary of the Swiss Field Post.During World War I single companies started to produce their own soldier stamps. Field Post was sent free of charge.

Friday, 28 November 2014

The card shows the Dragon Smaug from the The Hobbit film series. The The Hobbit film series is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 published book The Hobbit and consists of three movies aired between 2012 and 2014. This year's film is called The Battle of the Five Armies and will be released on 1st December in London. In German cinemas it will be on air from the 10th December onwards.

With nice related stamps:
The Hobbit-Smaug and Gandalf (two from set of seven) (issued 12-11-2014)

Thursday, 27 November 2014

Today I got eight postcards: my first two cards from Guernsey, two from Germany, one from Brazil, one from Japan, one from Vietnam and one from Egypt.

One of the cards from Guernsey shows various views of the harbour in Saint Peter Port.

With a great stamp:
Christmas (from set of seven) (issued 06-11-2014)This year's Christmas stamps of Guernsey and Alderney were created by local school children. This stamp was created by the ten-year-old Ruby Parker.

Today I got eight postcards: one from Egypt, my first two cards from Guernsey, two from Germany, one from Brazil, one from Japan and one from Vietnam.

The card from Egypt shows a statue at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The Egyptian Museum has a collection of 120000 items of the ancient Egyptian history. It houses the World’s largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities. It was founded in 1835 by the Egyptian government and in 1902 it made its final move to the current building at the Tahrir Square after it already had moved twice.

Today I got eight postcards: one from Vietnam, one from Egypt, my first two cards from Guernsey, two from Germany, one from Brazil and one from Japan.

The card from Vietnam shows a view of the Trang An Landscape Complex. The Trang An Landscape Complex is a landscape of limestone karst peaks and has archaeological traces of human activity dating back almost 30000 years. Since 2014 is the Trang An Landscape Complex on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Today I got eight postcards: one from Brazil, one from Japan, one from Vietnam, one from Egypt, my first two cards from Guernsey and two from Germany.

The card from Brazil shows the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas. The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas was built in the second half of the 18th century. The church has a Rococo interior and an outdoor stairway decorated with statues of the prophets. Since 1985 is the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Today I got eight postcards: two from Germany, one from Brazil, one from Japan, one from Vietnam, one from Egypt and my first two cards from Guernsey.

One of the cards from Germany shows the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate. The Deutsches Eck is an artificial spit of land at the confluence of Mosel and Rhine with a big monument for Emperor William I. It is the starting point of the 2002 created UNESCO World Heritage Site Upper Middle Rhine Valley.

I got this card a few weeks ago in an envelope.

Stamp:
Stolzenfels Castle (issued 02-01-2014)
with a special postmark about the 225th birth anniversary of Peter Joseph Lenné

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

The card shows a map of Germany divided into States, eight famous sights and cities of Germany and the coat of arms of all 16 States and of the federation. From 1952 to 1957 Germany was made up of the nine States Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Bremen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. In 1957 joined the Saarland the federation and in 1990 the former GDR with the states Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Saxony joined the Federal Republic of Germany. Berlin was during the division of Germany neither a part of the Federal Republic nor of the GDR. Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg are city states while the other 13 are area states. The States have their own legislative, judiciary and executive. Germany is bordered by Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and by the Netherlands. Germany is a member of the EU, of the UN, of the OECD, of the the NATO and of the G7. The capital of Germany was until 1990 Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia and is since then Berlin. The biggest cities of Germany are Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt am Main.

Saturday, 22 November 2014

Today I got five postcards: two from Germany and three from the United Kingdom.

One of the cards from Germany shows the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 by the Socialist Government of the GDR to prevent the escape of East German inhabitants to the Western part of Berlin. It was 156km long and divided Berlin until 1989. It became a symbol of the Cold War. On 9th November 1989 it was opened after big protests in the GDR.

I got this card a few weeks ago in an envelope.

With nice related stamps:
20th anniversary of the border opening between Hungary and Austria (issued 03-09-2009)
with a special postmark about the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin WallIt is a joint issue with Austria and Hungary.In 1989 the Hungary opened its border with Austria and in this way it cut a hole in the Iron Curtain.
Gendarmenmarkt (from set of two) (issued 07-02-2013)
with another postmark on the same occasionOn 2nd October 1990 the government of the GDR celebrated its last state ceremony on the Gendarmenmarkt.

Today I got five postcards: three from the United Kingdom and two from Germany.

One of the cards from the United Kingdom shows the Palace of Westminster and the Elisabeth Tower in London. The Palace of Westminster is also known as the Houses of Parliament as it houses the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Palace of Westminster was rebuilt from 1840 onwards as example of the neo-Gothic architecture after it was destroyed by a fire. Together with the Westminster Abbey and the Saint Margaret’s Church is the Palace of Westminster since 1987 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
Queen's head
World War I Centenary (from set of six) (issued 28-07-2014)The stamp shows a poppy. The poppy became quick a symbol of the World War I as it bloomed on the battle fields. It symbolises both the blood of the wounded men and the fragility of life.

Today I got five postcards: three from the United Kingdom and two from Germany.

One of the cards from the United Kingdom shows a view across the River Thames flowing through London. The River Thames is the second longest river in the United Kingdom and connects London with the North Sea.

Stamps:
Queen's head
World War I Centenary (from set of six) (issued 28-07-2014)The stamp shows Private William Cecil Tickle. Like many other young men he enlisted in 1914 for the World War I. He died during the Battle of the Somme.

Thursday, 20 November 2014

The card from Germany shows a collection of Meissen Porcelain. The Meissen Porcelain Manufacture was founded in 1710 by Augustus II the Strong as Europe's first porcelain manufacture. From the foundation until 1863 it was housed in the Albrechtsburg in Meissen and then it moved to an own factory.

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

The card from Brazil shows the Panteão da Pátria e da Liberdade Tancredo Neves and the monument Dos Candangos in Brasilia. Brasilia was founded in 1960 and was built from 1956 onwards by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer to serve as Brazil's new capital after Rio de Janeiro. The city is shaped like a bird in flight. Since 1987 is Brasilia on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

With great stamps:
Definitive
Prehistoric Animals (from set of four) (issued 12-10-2014)
Sesquicentenary of the Presbyterian Church (issued 12-01-2012)On the stamp digital illustration technique was used creating an effect of glass.

Monday, 17 November 2014

One of the cards from Germany shows the Aachen Cathedral. The Aachen Cathedral was built from 796 onwards by Emperor Charlemagne and is one of the best examples of the Carolingian Renaissance. During the Middle Ages it was enlarged. Since 1978 is the Aachen Cathedral as first German Site on the UNESCO World Heritage List.